Bowers & Wilkins PI7
See price on AmazonOverall Score 7.5 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Jabra Elite 5
See price on AmazonOverall Score 6.8 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Category | Features | Bowers & Wilkins PI7 | Jabra Elite 5 |
---|---|---|---|
DESIGN | ingress protection (ip) rating | IP54 | IP55 |
weight | 50g | 10g | |
has no wires or cables | ✓ | ✓ | |
sweat resistance | ✗ | ✓ | |
has stereo speakers | ✓ | ✓ | |
SOUND QUALITY | has active noise cancellation (noise control) | ✓ | ✓ |
has passive noise reduction | ✓ | ✓ | |
driver unit size | 9.2mm | 6mm | |
lowest frequency | 10Hz | 20Hz | |
highest frequency | 20,000Hz | 20,000Hz | |
POWER | battery life | 4.5hours | 9hours |
battery life of charging case | 18hours | 27hours | |
charge time | 3hours | 2hours | |
has wireless charging | ✓ | ✓ | |
has a battery level indicator | ✓ | ✓ | |
CONNECTIVITY | has usb type-c | ✓ | ✓ |
bluetooth version | v5 | v5.2 | |
maximum bluetooth range | 10meters | 10meters | |
has aac | ✓ | ✓ | |
has aptx adaptive | ✓ | ✗ | |
has aptx hd | ✓ | ✗ | |
MICROPHONE | number of microphones | 6only | 6only |
has a noise-canceling microphone | ✓ | ✗ | |
EXTRAS | has ambient sound mode | ✓ | ✓ |
has in/on-ear detection | ✓ | ✗ | |
has find earbuds feature | ✓ | ✗ | |
supports fast charging | ✓ | ✓ | |
has a mute function | ✓ | ✓ | |
control panel placed on a device | ✓ | ✓ | |
warranty period | ✗ | 2Years | |
has voice prompts | ✓ | ✓ | |
travel bag is included | ✓ | ✓ | |
See price on Amazon | See price on Amazon |
Ingress protection ratings refer to the rating of protection given by an enclosure, against dust and liquids. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value of the IP rating represents protection against solids such as dust, while the second refers to resistance against liquids (water).
Having a value of IP54, the Bowers & Wilkins PI7's rating is read as, the first number of 5 denotes that ingress of dust is not totally prevented but dust does not enter in harmful quantities to interfere with the correct operation or impair safety, and the second value of 4 means that they can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes.
Compared to the Bowers & Wilkins PI7, Jabra Elite 5 have a rating of IP55 meaning that
they both have the same rating against dust
and that of liquids is that,
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 has a lower liquid rating than Jabra Elite 5
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a weight of 50g . We consider a lower weight best because lighter devices are easier to transport.
Jabra Elite 5, at 10g
are lighter than the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 with a difference -40g
For a device to be true wireless it should have no cables linking any part of the device together, Bowers & Wilkins PI7 are true wireless for this case since they have no cables. This is an important distinction as some wireless earbuds have wires connecting the pair of earbuds .
Jabra Elite 5 also is true wireless since it doesn't have cables connecting the two earbuds together.
Jabra Elite 5 have sweat resistance
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have stereo speakers, what this means is that Bowers & Wilkins PI7's speakers deliver sound from separate channels on both left and right sides, creating a richer sound and a better listening experience.
Both Jabra Elite 5 and Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have stereo speakers
Active noise cancellation makes use of advanced kind of tech to reduce unwanted ambient sounds. How it works, it studies the sound pattern of incoming noise and inverts the soundwaves to cancel it out. In simple terms, it's like taking +1 (sound from your surrounding) then producing -1 (inverted noise) giving zero resulting in a reduced level of noise.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have Active Noise Cancellation enabling you to listen at lower levels of volume, good for your ears as you don't need to crank up the earbuds volume to outcompete background noise.
Jabra Elite 5 too have ANC making either of the devices ideal for flights and rush hour travels. The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 and Jabra Elite 5 work with different noise cancellation types, pick the setting that suits your commute or that enhances your relaxation time.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 sit tightly in place, creating a sound covering that reduces background sounds and also prevents the earbuds music from leaking out .
Both Jabra Elite 5, and Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have passive noise reduction this implies that both reduce ambient noise instead of actively using ANC to cancel it out.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a unit size of 9.2mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, and can produce better bass.
A driver unit is basically a mini speaker that produces sound in the device, its size dictates the sound made by the device.
Jabra Elite 5 driver unit is 6mm in diameter,
which means that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by 3.2mm
, many people have a misconception that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.
However, large drivers usually have difficulty producing high frequencies so yes, larger drivers can generate louder sound, but this does not imply that they produce better quality sound.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7's lowest frequency is at 10Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well a particular audio device produces low frequencies that can be heard, and if it alters the signal on its way through.
Jabra Elite 5's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this means that
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 can produce a juicier bass than the Jabra Elite 5
Bowers & Wilkins PI7's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response tells how well an audio component produces high human frequencies and if it changes to the signal on its way through.
Jabra Elite 5's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, this implies that
both devices produce equal treble
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7's battery life is 4.5 hours, these last less than 5 hours of listening which is considered average for a single charge. A device's battery life is commonly given by the manufacturer, and with longer battery life, you get to use it for longer and requires fewer chargings.
Jabra Elite 5's battery life is
more than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by 4.5 hours
. Every time you recharge your device, they get a little less playing time. The effect is barely noticeable at first, but over a few years, your wireless earbuds will no longer play for long like they used to.
This is given by the vendor, and the Bowers & Wilkins PI7's case has a full charge of 18 hours. A charging case with more battery hours enables you to recharge your earbuds on the go many times before having to recharge the case itself.
Jabra Elite 5's charging case has a battery life of 27 hours,
more than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by 9 hours
It takes 3 hours to fully charge the Bowers & Wilkins PI7's battery. It is recommended to charge fully the battery before using the earbuds when they have been in storage for long periods.
Jabra Elite 5 takes 2 hours to fully charge the battery,
less than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by 1 hours
Bowers & Wilkins PI7, the device supports wireless charging. To charge the device, you just place down on a supported charging pad.
Jabra Elite 5 also support wireless charging, always look out for the charging standard of the earbuds.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a battery level indicator, an indicator notifies you when the earbuds has a low battery. The battery indicator lights show the charging state of your device and charging case.
Jabra Elite 5 too have a battery level indicator, these enable you to determine the charging state of your device, whether fully charged, or having a low battery.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support USB TYPE-C, a standard connector for transmitting both data and power through a single cable.
Jabra Elite 5 too have USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug is part and parcel of most current electronics.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have Bluetooth version of 5, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows data movement between devices placed in range, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.
Jabra Elite 5 has a Bluetooth version of 5.2,
newer than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7
. Newer versions provide faster data transfers.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a 10meters distance connecting via Bluetooth.
Jabra Elite 5 have a maximum range of 10meters,
equal to that of the Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support AAC, a codec used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Since it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it can provide better results than other codecs at a similar bit rate.
Since its the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 will work fine with your iPad. If you are planning on using these with Android , ensure that they also support aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC as well.
The Jabra Elite 5 support AAC as well. Designed to be the successor of the MP3 format, AAC generally achieves higher sound quality than MP3 encoders at the same bit rate.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support APTX Adaptive, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It has a variable bit rate (between 279kbps and 420kbps).
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support APTX HD, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It supports high-quality 24-bit audio (at a bit rate of 576kbps).
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have 6 microphones.
The Jabra Elite 5 microphones are 6,
equal to that of the Bowers & Wilkins PI7
. More microphones record better sound quality and help the earbuds to filter out noise.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 use a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are made to filter out noise from the earbuds' sound.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to channel ambient noises so that they can still be heard even while wearing them
The Jabra Elite 5 support ambient sound mode as well, it’s useful when you want to listen to music but also be aware of your surrounding, for example when you’re having a jog but would still want to hear traffic.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the earbuds can detect when they are removed from your ears .
When misplaced in a room, or can't be found in your bag, Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support the find earbuds feature.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support fast charging. Most often, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to lower the time it takes to fully charge the earbuds.
Jabra Elite 5 support fast charging. This kind is similar to regular charging, just that the battery is filling up much faster. Say, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery is charged to 50% in thirty minutes.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a mute function, they support the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device.
The Jabra Elite 5 too have the mute function. It means that you can turn off the earbuds' microphone, but still hear the other party's voice.
With the Bowers & Wilkins PI7, so you can access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the earbuds.
The Jabra Elite 5 too have a control panel on them.
Jabra Elite 5 have a warranty period of 2 Years, the period of time that warrant free repair and adjustment services in case of a malfunction occurring under normal use that has followed instruction manuals.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have voice prompts. With voice prompts, you receive information via audio messages, like if there is a problem with the connection.
The Jabra Elite 5 too support voice prompts .i.e the earbuds notifies you if the battery is running low, and it's time to recharge the earbuds.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 come with a special case. Carrying earphones without a case, or putting them in your pockets without a casing can easily put them at risk of getting damaged.
Jabra Elite 5 too have a travel bag included, which offers safe transportation.